Social service between the shows

Apart from increasing the glamour quotient, the first day of the WIFW saw designers highlighting issues such as animal cruelty and human trafficking

Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle. And so do fashion designers.

Yesterday, a balmy Delhi welcomed the first day of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week- Autumn Winter 2012. Pragati Maidan, the preferred venue for the fashion week, saw the week opened with designers Shantanu and Nikhil Mehra's show which was attended by B-town ladies Sameera Reddy and Dia Mirza.

It was followed by designers Preeti Chandra, Vineet Bahl, Anand Kabra and Anju Modi.

However, day one of the weeklong event didn't focus on artistic and commercial aspects of the event alone. While the girl child, breast cancer and drink driving have been the issues highlighted, this time subjects like animal cruelty and human trafficking found voices at the fashion week.

'No to zoos'The presence of actors Gulshan Grover, Monica Dogra and Mahima Choudhary who unveiled People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' (PeTA's) campaign 'Fashion for Freedom' to boycott zoos warmed hearts at the fashion week.

"Fashion is about beauty and freedom of expression. When animals are caged a lot of things are denied to them," said FDCI President Sunil Sethi talking about the FDCI's collaboration with the organisation.

Mahima Choudhary speaking on the subject said, "Being a mother, I understand how much children love animals but zoos are not the solution. I congratulate PeTA for campaigning to shut down zoos."

"Imagine if we were dominated by a super human like Ra.One, how would we feel? If we were sent to cages and Mahima Choudhary was sent off to a circus. That is how animals feel when we cage them," said actor Gulshan Grover.

Yet to get its dueAnother issue to be raised by some designers during the week is yet to find its due attention.

Tarun Tahiliani, Ritu Beri and Rajesh Pratap Singh are among 12 designers who'll be focusing on the issue of human trafficking through a theme titled, 'From Ashes to Beauty' scheduled for Friday. While statistics from monitoring bodies including the United Nations show human trafficking as a problem next only to drug trafficking, the participants gathered had little to say about the issue. "Well, I didn't even know the show had to anything to do with with eradicating human trafficking. I'm amazed," said a model.

Tokyo callingCelebrating the 60th year of diplomatic relationships between India and Japan, the Japan Fashion Week Organisation has this time tied up with Fashion Design Council of India and will present three Japanese designers -- Anrealage, Mintdesigns and Takayuki Suzuki -- at the week-long show. The initiative is supported by the Ministry of Economic Trade and Industry, Japan. In addition to the show, products and philosophies of 10 brands representing '10 Faces of the Tokyo Culture' will be on display.